PassionAir becomes first Bombardier operator in Ghana with three Q400 aircraft

MONTREAL, Aug. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced today that the company successfully placed three pre-owned Q400 turboprops with PassionAir from the Republic of Ghana. The

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PassionAir becomes first Bombardier operator in Ghana with three Q400 aircraft

MONTREAL, Aug. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced today that the company successfully placed three pre-owned Q400 turboprops with PassionAir from the Republic of Ghana. The airline acquired the aircraft through a dry-lease with a third party.

“Bombardier has sold about 3,500 new regional aircraft to date, and we continue to be very active on the used aircraft market.” said David Speirs, Vice President, Asset Management, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “Our recent momentum on the pre-owned aircraft market worldwide is a clear indication that our products are addressing a growing need for regional air transportation, especially in emerging markets.”

“Our market penetration in Africa continues to intensify, and we are pleased to welcome Passion Air as the first commercial airline operating a Bombardier regional aircraft in the Republic of Ghana,” said Jean-Paul Boutibou, Vice President, Sales, Middle East and Africa, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “Africa is the youngest and fastest growing region in the world, and regional aircraft like the Q400 will play a key role in helping advancing Africa’s economic growth.”

The airline will operate the three Q400 aircraft in a 78-seat configuration on domestic routes.

“This is a first step, and we look forward to expanding our fleet with more Bombardier aircraft,” said Edward Annan, Chief Executive Officer, PassionAir. “The Q400 offers the performance and flexibility that we need to further develop our network. With a range that unlocks great opportunities for us, we are confident that we will capitalize on a larger market, which extends to 12 countries and over 180 million potential passengers out of Accra.”

About PassionAir
PassionAir is a Ghanaian owned airline, and aims to become the most competitive Aviation Service Provider in Ghana and West Africa. Our focus is on safety and excellent customer service delivery, depicting the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality. Our product lines range from scheduled to chartered flights offered at internationally accepted standards and competitive prices.

PassionAir as start off, will operate flights domestically, with plans of expanding our services to the West African sub-region in the medium term.

About BombardierWith over 69,500 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Highlighting the dangers in containing an Ebola outbreak in a war zone, suspected rebels killed seven people in northeastern Congo and sent residents fleeing, an official said.

Global health officials have warned that combating this virus outbreak is complicated by …

]]>Highlighting the dangers in containing an Ebola outbreak in a war zone, suspected rebels killed seven people in northeastern Congo and sent residents fleeing, an official said.

Global health officials have warned that combating this virus outbreak is complicated by multiple armed groups in the mineral-rich region and a restless population that includes one million displaced people and scores of refugees leaving for nearby Uganda every week.

The "ring vaccination" approach of first vaccinating health workers, contacts of Ebola victims and their contacts might have to give way to the approach of vaccinating everyone in a certain geographic area such as a village or neighborhood. That would require a larger number of vaccine doses.

Vaccinations began Wednesday in the current outbreak, which was declared on Aug. 1 and has killed 11 people in the densely populated region. WHO has said more than 3,000 Ebola vaccine doses are available in Congo.

While Congo's previous Ebola outbreak, declared over barely a week before the current one began, set off alarm by spreading to a city of more than 1 million on the other side of the country, the current outbreak comes with the threat of armed attack.

The Friday night assault that killed seven people in Mayi-Moya, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) from Beni city, was likely carried out by rebels with the Allied Democratic Forces, the administrator of Beni territory, Donat Kibwana, told The Associated Press. The rebels have killed more than 1,500 people in and around Beni in less than two years.

The rebels sent the local population fleeing, Kibwana said. Beni residents already had been shaken by the discovery last week of 14 bodies of civilians who had been seized by suspected ADF rebels.

The latest attack occurred as the WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was visiting the area to see the response to the Ebola outbreak, which is being carried out in some cases under armed escort.

"The active conflict in the area is a barrier to control Ebola," Tedros said in a Twitter post Saturday night. "I call on all warring parties to provide secure access to all responders serving affected populations & saving lives."

United Nations peacekeepers, Congolese police and at times Congolese troops have been traveling with convoys of health workers as they fan out to contain the outbreak. Hospitals are guarded by Congolese police and military police.

"This will be a highly complex operation because it is occurring in an area that has been embroiled in armed conflict for 20 years," said Hanna Leskinen, a spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross. "People are regularly moving as waves of violence force new communities to flee. This makes tracing infected cases much harder." Health care workers may be forced to flee as well, she said.

Parts of North Kivu province, where most of the Ebola cases have been reported, have been inaccessible to aid groups because of the fighting, Leskinen said.

"It is critical that the disease is contained before it spreads to areas where there is more active fighting or it will be incredibly challenging to reach those in need [and] ensure safe vaccination campaigns," she said. That includes keeping the vaccines at the optimal temperature of minus 70 C (-158 F), a challenge in a region with hot temperatures and unreliable power supplies.

So far, Congo's health ministry has said 48 cases of hemorrhagic fever have been reported in this outbreak, 21 of them confirmed as Ebola.

Nearly 1,000 people are being monitored. Screenings for the virus are being carried out at the heavily traveled border; officials have said travel restrictions are not necessary.

This is Congo's tenth outbreak of Ebola, which is spread via contact with bodily fluids of those infected, including the dead. There is no licensed treatment, and the virus can be fatal in up to 90 percent of cases, depending on the strain.

KINSHASA-- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo to hold bilateral talks with his counterpart, President Joseph Kabila Kabange.

This was President Ramaphosa's first visit to the DRC since his election as President of the …

]]>KINSHASA-- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo to hold bilateral talks with his counterpart, President Joseph Kabila Kabange.

This was President Ramaphosa's first visit to the DRC since his election as President of the Republic of South Africa in February 2018.

Friday's visit was part of Ramaphosa's courtesy call to SADC member States.

The Heads of State exchanged views on bilateral relations between the two countries, the evolution of the political, electoral and security situation in the DRC, as well as various issues of regional interest.

The visit followed a successful working visit to the Republic of Zambia, where both Ramaphosa and his counterpart, President Edgar Lungu, held bilateral discussions on cooperation; political and security developments in the region and continent, as well as global issues of mutual concern.

Both President Ramaphosa and President Lungu witnessed the signing of an agreement on the establishment of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Zambia, said the Presidency in a statement.

The agreement elevates the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) into a Bi-National Commission and it will promote and enhance cooperation in various sectors of government and coordinate the relevant initiatives between public and private sectors.

The commission will be chaired jointly by the President of South Africa and the President of Zambia.

Ramaphosa was accompanied the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Lindiwe Sisulu and the Minister of State Security, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba and other senior government officials.

KINSHASA-- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo to hold bilateral talks with his counterpart, President Joseph Kabila Kabange.

This was President Ramaphosa's first visit to the DRC since his election as President of the …

]]>KINSHASA-- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo to hold bilateral talks with his counterpart, President Joseph Kabila Kabange.

This was President Ramaphosa's first visit to the DRC since his election as President of the Republic of South Africa in February 2018.

Friday's visit was part of Ramaphosa's courtesy call to SADC member States.

The Heads of State exchanged views on bilateral relations between the two countries, the evolution of the political, electoral and security situation in the DRC, as well as various issues of regional interest.

The visit followed a successful working visit to the Republic of Zambia, where both Ramaphosa and his counterpart, President Edgar Lungu, held bilateral discussions on cooperation; political and security developments in the region and continent, as well as global issues of mutual concern.

Both President Ramaphosa and President Lungu witnessed the signing of an agreement on the establishment of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Zambia, said the Presidency in a statement.

The agreement elevates the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) into a Bi-National Commission and it will promote and enhance cooperation in various sectors of government and coordinate the relevant initiatives between public and private sectors.

The commission will be chaired jointly by the President of South Africa and the President of Zambia.

Ramaphosa was accompanied the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Lindiwe Sisulu and the Minister of State Security, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba and other senior government officials.

HARARE--The Botswana government has confirmed that President Mokgweetsi Masisi will attend the inauguration of Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa set for this Sunday.

The inauguration of the new Zimbabwean leader, however, hangs in the balance after the main opposition party, the …

]]>HARARE--The Botswana government has confirmed that President Mokgweetsi Masisi will attend the inauguration of Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa set for this Sunday.

The inauguration of the new Zimbabwean leader, however, hangs in the balance after the main opposition party, the MDC Alliance, indicated it would challenge the result of presidential component of the July 30 harmonized polls.

The Zimbabwean Constitution gives aggrieved contestants a maximum of seven days within which to challenge the result of an election after it has been proclaimed.

President-elect Mnangagwa romped to victory with a 50.8 per cent vote against the 44.3 per cent garnered by his nearest challenger, Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance, who dismissed the result as fraudulent,

and insists he won the poll.

The government has, however, said it was going ahead with preparations for the inauguration on Aug 12 given that six days after the proclamation of the July 30 general election results, no political party has yet to officially challenged the outcome in court.

Botswana said President Masisi would be accompanied by two former presidents, Ian Khama and Festus Mohae, for the ceremony.

The Office of the President wishes to inform that His Excellency Mokgweetsi Masisi, the President of the Republic of Botswana, will travel to Harare, Zimbabwe on Sunday, (12/8/18) to attend the Inauguration Ceremony of the President Elect of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Emmerson Mngagwa, following that country's historic elections held on 30th July 2018, said the Botswana government.

Relations between Zimbabwe and Botswana have thawed since President Mnangagwa took over from President Robert Mugabe last November.

President Masisi becomes the second Head of State in the region to confirm participation at the inauguration after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier confirmed he would be present.

LONDON, Aug. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Globeleq has confirmed that Laurence Mulliez will take up the Chair position of the Globeleq Board effective from 1st September, 2018. Laurence has more than 20 years of experience in the banking, energy, …

]]>LONDON, Aug. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Globeleq has confirmed that Laurence Mulliez will take up the Chair position of the Globeleq Board effective from 1st September, 2018. Laurence has more than 20 years of experience in the banking, energy, chemical and industrial sectors.

Currently, Laurence is Chair of Voltalia, a €500m market capitalisation producer of renewable-based power and a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit committee at Aperam stainless steel (a $5 billion revenue spin-off from Arcelor Mittal). She is also a Non-Executive Director at SBM offshore, a $3 billion revenue world leader in floating production and mooring systems for the oil and gas industry and a Non-Executive Director at Morgan Advanced Materials, a £1 billion revenue global engineering company.

Globeleq’s CEO, Paul Hanrahan commented: “Laurence brings a wealth of experience and fully complements our well-rounded Board. We are thrilled to have her as our Chairperson where she will help guide Globeleq to look at every opportunity to grow the business and power Africa’s growth.”

Laurence Mulliez added: “I am honoured to join an organisation which has already demonstrated its impact on providing power and supporting development in Africa. I look forward to working with a great management team and Globeleq’s shareholders, CDC Group and Norfund, both institutions which target investments in regions where it is most needed.”

During the period 2007-2010, Laurence was CEO of Castrol Industrial Lubricants and Services worldwide and from 2010-2013, she led Eoxis, a start-up renewable power company, financially backed by private equity.

About Globeleq

Globeleq is a leading developer, owner and operator of electricity generation in Africa. Since 2002, its experienced team of professionals have built a diverse portfolio of independent power plants, generating nearly 1,300 MW in 8 locations across 5 countries, with a further 2,000 MW of power projects in development. www.globeleq.com

]]>Free Curtin Program Puts International Students on Pathway to Successhttps://www.botswanaonlinenews.com/free-curtin-program-puts-international-students-on-pathway-to-success/
Thu, 09 Aug 2018 04:00:46 +0000http://pr.asianetpakistan.com/?p=44057

PERTH, Australia, Aug. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — In a move to assist international students meet English language requirements and put them on a pathway to success, Curtin University is offering a free 10-week, tailor-made program to enhance language skills and …

]]>PERTH, Australia, Aug. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — In a move to assist international students meet English language requirements and put them on a pathway to success, Curtin University is offering a free 10-week, tailor-made program to enhance language skills and immerse students in the Australian academic culture.

In addition to English language training that includes speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary support, the 10-week program will offer lessons in such areas as study skills, academic referencing skills, critical thinking development and how to communicate effectively in seminars, discussions and presentations in an academic context. It will also provide an introduction to Curtin’s course outlines and student systems as well as bespoke tours of the relevant Curtin faculties.

Curtin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor International Professor Seth Kunin said the program would start immediately for international students planning to enter the University courses from 2019 onwards who have been identified as needing to improve their English language skills.

Professor Kunin said the program would offer international students the skills needed to support their university studies at Curtin.

“With campuses in Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and Mauritius, as well as two major campuses in Western Australia, Curtin is a truly global university and we want to ensure that our students are equipped with the tools for success in their tertiary studies,” Professor Kunin said.

“This program, which will help international students reach their required English language level and navigate their university studies, will be available free of charge to international students seeking to study at Curtin University.”

Professor Kunin said the program aimed to make international students as comfortable and familiar as possible with the academic context in Australia through the 10-week program.

“We will not compromise on our existing standards for English language skills but we recognise that some students will require that extra level of support and this program will offer them the greatest assistance,” Professor Kunin said.

“By offering this free program, we are breaking down language and cultural barriers in a bid to offer international students a true taste of what studying at Curtin University entails.”

The program is only free for students who have an English condition on their offer and progress to university studies at Curtin University’s campus in Perth, Western Australia.

Curtin course fees are also frozen for the next two years, meaning a student who starts studying at Curtin in 2018 will pay the same fees for most courses in 2019.

Curtin University is Western Australia’s largest university, with more than 56,000 students. Of these, over 14,000 are international students. The University’s main campus is in Bentley near the Perth CBD. Curtin has six other campuses across WA, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and Mauritius. Curtin also has a presence at a number of other global locations.

Curtin celebrated ’50 Years of Innovation’ in 2017 – the combined history of the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT), which opened its doors to students in 1967 and Curtin University, which opened in 1987.

Today, Curtin is estimated to be ranked 180th and in the top one per cent of universities worldwide, and 9th in Australia in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2017 (ARWU) (http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2017.html), and features highly in a number of other key world rankings.

The University has built a reputation around innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, being at the forefront of many high-profile research projects in astronomy, biosciences, economics, mining and information technology. It is also recognised globally for its strong connections with industry, and for its commitment to preparing students for jobs of the future.

Zimbabwean police took former finance minister and opposition leader Tendai Biti into custody Thursday after Zambian authorities rejected his bid for asylum and deported him, his lawyer said.

Police in Zimbabwe were looking for Biti and eight other opposition figures …

]]>Zimbabwean police took former finance minister and opposition leader Tendai Biti into custody Thursday after Zambian authorities rejected his bid for asylum and deported him, his lawyer said.

Police in Zimbabwe were looking for Biti and eight other opposition figures for allegedly fomenting violence following a disputed national election in which President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared the winner.

An hour ago Biti was handed over to Zimbabwean law enforcement officers and as we speak he is on Zimbabwean soil, Biti's Zambian lawyer Gilbert Phiri told Reuters by phone.

Six people were killed last week in an army crackdown on postelection protests against the victory by Mnangagwa's ruling ZANU-PF party. Mnangagwa's main rival, opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, has accused the government of clamping down on members of his party.

Nkululeko Sibanda, a spokesman for the MDC, told VOA Wednesday that many of its senior officials had gone into hiding, fearing arrests or abductions since the election.

Biti, whose People's Democratic Party had formed an election alliance with Chamisa's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), had been in hiding since last week and had feared for his life, his Zimbabwean lawyer Nqobizitha Mlilo said.

The postelection turmoil is reminiscent of contested elections during the long rule of Robert Mugabe, who was toppled last November in a de facto military coup.

He was replaced by his former intelligence and defense chief Mnangagwa, who pledged to hold free and fair elections.

Phiri said the Zambian High Court had Wednesday night issued an order to stop Biti's deportation but Zambian immigration and police refused to accept the court papers.

Biti had sought asylum when he tried to enter Zambia through the Chirundu border post, 350 km (220 miles) north of the capital Harare, but his application was rejected.

He was then moved to a school near another border crossing in Kariba before being handed over to Zimbabwean police, Phiri said.

We tried to serve the court order on the immigration officers who were keeping him at a school under police protection but they refused to take it, Phiri said.